By Gordon Deegan

A judge has stated that “there is nothing the court can do to assist” in relation to a meat firm’s efforts to obtain in full an unpaid debt from a Shannon-based Halal meat plant operator.

At Ennis District Civil Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comment after the owner of Asba Meats Ltd., Tarequr Rahman Khan was a ‘no show’ in court despite the judge's order on him to attend.

In court last month, Judge Gabbett made an order directing that Khan attend court concerning his firm’s unpaid debt of €16,931 to Town and Country Meats Group.

Solicitor Stiofan Fitzpatrick told the court that his client, Town and Country Meats had obtained judgement against Asba Meats for the amount.

Regarding Khan’s no-show following his direction to attend, Judge Gabbett said that “the disengagement with authority is of some concern”.

He said: “If he is not going to comply with a court direction, he is not going to comply with a lot of directions - statutory or otherwise.”

Stiofan Fitzpatrick had previously applied for a bench warrant for Khan to attend but Judge Gabbett said that he couldn't issue a bench warrant as it was the company name on the case before the court.

The solicitor said that prior to a previous court sitting when Khan did attend the courthouse he reached agreement with Khan about paying the debt but only €1,000 had been received.

Town and Country Meats Group obtained an order in the circuit court on June 4, 2024 to allow the company recover €16,181 from Asba Meats along with €750 in costs and expenses.

Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to September 19 for mention.

In January of this year, in a separate case, the Agri-Food Regulator recorded its first conviction for a breach of the unfair trading practices (UTP) Regulations against Asba Meats at the same court.

The case concerned Asba Meats Ltd., over the non payment of €10,059 for cattle delivered to the slaughter plant by a west of Ireland farmer. 

In a separate case before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) adjudicator, Úna Glazier-Farmer has directed that Asba Meats Ltd., pay €18,844 to Shadid Kamal for his unfair dismissal.

The WRC has ordered Asba Meats to pay Shadid Kamal - who was also represented by Stiofan Fitzpatrick - an additional €3,781 in a redundancy lump sum payment.

There was no appearance by Asba Meats at the WRC hearing and the adjudicator found that Shadid Kamal was unfairly dismissed in April 2024 and the dismissal occurred without any adherence to fair procedures.

She said: “His account remains undisputed, and his extensive documentation of efforts to secure alternative employment is accepted as credible evidence."